Research Catalog

Title

Mars : the mystery unfolds / Peter John Cattermole.

Author

Cattermole, Peter John

Publication

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, c2001.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

vi, 186 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.); 29 cm.

Summary

"In the wake of a flood of new data and images from several exploratory missions, fascination with Mars has become even more intense than it was when Percival Lowell believed he had observed canals constructed by live Martians. While we know that these never existed, we do have evidence that Mars once had rivers, shallow lakes, glaciers, huge active volcanoes, and intense flooding. In this book Peter Cattermole, a geologist who has been studying the planet for many years, captures the sense of continuing excitement about Mars and its history. He builds his story on the foundations of his earlier book, Mars: The Story of the Red Planet (Chapman Hall, 1992). An immense amount of visual, geochemical, and physical data concerning the rocks, landscape, and weather is now available. The new book draws on this wealth of new information, providing a clear account of current scientific understanding of the Red Planet."--Publisher's description.

Subject

• Mars (Planet)

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-181) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• Modern water found on Mars? -- Mars in the Solar System. Dimensions and mass ; The Martian seasons ; The pattern of discovery ; Albedo markings -- Exploration of the red planet. Mariner 9 ; Early Russian exploration of Mars ; The Viking missions ; The Russian Phobos mission ; Mars Observer mission ; The Mars Pathfinder mission ; Mars Global Surveyor ; Other missions -- The present face of Mars. The topography of Mars ; Physiographic provinces ; Thermal inertia mapping measurements ; Earth-based and orbiter spectral observations ; The Martian surface layer ; Hubble space telescope observations ; Martian stratigraphy -- Atmosphere, weather and climate. The composition of the atmosphere ; Pressure and temperature variations ; Mars Pathfinder data ; MGS thermospheric measurements ; Winds and atmospheric circulation pattern ; Martian winds ; Clouds and dust storms ; Precessional effects and climatic change ; Climate history of Mars -- Mars and volatiles. Volatile distribution among the inner planets ; Isotopic data relevant to Martian volatiles ; Surficial evidence for subsurface volatiles ; Palaeolakes and oceans ; Ancient glaciers? Martian volatiles and nature of reservoirs -- The ancient cratered terrain. The cratering record ; Martian impact basins ; Morphology of impact craters ; Crater ejecta morphology ; Nature of the ancient cratered crust ; Volcanoes of the cratered plateau ; Developmental history of the early crust.
• The plains of Mars. Noachian and early Hesperian plains ; Channels, plains and volcanism ; Hesperian flow plains ; The Medusae Fossae plains ; Tempe Terra plains province ; Plains deposits of Hellas ; The northern plains -- Volcanism on Mars. Types of volcanic structure ; Controls on volcanic processes on Mars ; Highland paterae of the Hellas region ; Peneus and Amphitrites Paterae ; Hadriaca Patera ; Tyrrhena Patera ; Volcano morphology and early volcanism ; Shield volcanoes of Tharsis and Elysium ; The central volcanoes of Tharsis ; Volcanic shields and lava plains of Elysium ; Apollinaris Patera ; Central volcanism on Mars ; The nature of Martian magmas ; Volcanoes, loading and lithospheric stresses -- Tectonics and the growth of Tharsis. One-plate and multi-plate planets ; Distribution of tectonic features on Mars ; Coprates Rise and South Tharsis Ridge Belt ; The gravity field of Mars ; The evolution of Tharsis -- Valles Marineris. Physiography and topography ; Form of canyon walls ; Wall retreat and landslide deposits ; Tributary canyon development ; Canyon interior deposits ; Volume and thickness of canyon deposits ; Layered deposits within peripheral troughs ; Origin of the layered interior deposits ; Chaotic material ; History of the canyon system -- Fluvial activity and channels. Distribution of valley and channel systems ; Fluvial activity and Mars' volatile history ; Valley networks ; Outflow channels ; The Pathfinder landing site (Ares Vallis) ; Ages of the channels ; Terrestrial analogs of outflow channels ; Fretted channels.
• The polar regions, ice and wind. The polar caps and seasonal variations ; Physiography of the polar regions ; Seasonal behaviour of the polar regions ; Wind and dust storms in cap behaviour ; Laminated polar deposits ; Spectral data for the cap regions ; The polar valleys ; The circumpolar plains and dunefields ; Dunefields and formation of duneforms ; Physiography of marginal polar regions -- The dichotomy. Physiography of the dichotomy boundary ; Earlier explanations for the dichotomy ; MOLA data and interpretation ; Ancient oceans and lakes on Mars? ; Shoreline tests along the boundary ; The possibility of glaciation -- The interior of Mars. The geoid, figure and gravity of Mars ; Internal density profile ; Composition of the interior ; Global Surveyor magnetic-field measurements -- Geochemistry. Spectral characteristics and chemistry ; Pathfinder soils and fines ; Pathfinder rock ; SNC meteorites ; New data and Martian differentiation -- Phobos and Deimos -- Life on Mars? Early observations ; Viking observations ; Meteorites and possible Martian life -- Today on Mars. Wind activity on Mars ; Aeolian erosional landforms ; Depositional landforms ; Pathfinder landing site weather conditions ; Plans for the future -- Appendix. Model chronology ; Astronomical data ; Websites about Mars.

ISBN

0195217268

LCCN

^^^00047866^

OCLC

• 45023115
• SCSB-10340921

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library